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THIS WEEK”S SUMMARY
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HONDURAN DELEGATION VISITS JAMAICA—01/29/11
Discussions were held between Jamaica and Honduras at the end of January 2011 on a variety of consular issues. The constructive discussions addressed the two vessels from Honduras that are in Jamaican custody and updated the situation of the 30 crew members of those vessels detained in Kingston. Ambassador Jorge Alberto Milla Reyes, Honduran ambassador, and David Alfonso Hernandez Caballero, consul general of Honduras in Houston, Texas, took part in the talks.
UWI PROFESSOR CONCERNED ABOUT JAMAICA’S SALT INTAKE—01/30/11
Professor Rainford Wilks, a researcher at the University of the West Indies (UWI) has stated his concern about the high level of salt used by Jamaicans. This issue must be addressed, according to Wilks, because the country is facing a major epidemic of cardiovascular disease, like many developing nations. The reduction of salt intake must occur to stem the epidemic. This is a serious public health issue, says Wilks.
TRUTH COMMISSION WANTED—01/31/11
One of the results of the Mannatt/Dudus scandal has been to refocus attention on finding the truth and an appropriate way of dispensing justice in Jamaica. The link between politics, crime, politicians and criminals in the country has given rise to calls for the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission. The commission would be responsible for fixing the corrupt parts of Jamaican society.
OFFICIALS CALL FOR EVERYONE TO HELP FIX THE NATION—02/01/11
There are calls for more Jamaican citizens to participate in the governance of the nation. Civic leaders say that many Jamaicans do not get involved with the government process, and this is one of the most serious problems facing the country. According to Dr. Carolyn Gomes, executive director of Jamaicans for Justice, everyone should be interested in begin heard, and everyone should take an interest in participatory governance. Hamilton used the Editors’ Forum to urge individuals and communities to step up to the plate and
GOVERNMENT TO EXAMINE BORDER CONTROL ISSUES—02/01/11
Dwight Nelson, Jamaica’s National Security Minister, states that the government believes border control to be too lax and plans to address the issue. Nelson notes that some areas of the nation are primed for smuggling. These areas cause concern because they allow guns and ammunition to come into the country. Police and the army will be called on to help control the borders.
LAWSUIT AGAINST GOVERNMENT DROPPED BY GORSTEW LTD.—02/02/11
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced that the suit brought by Gorstew Ltd. against the government will be dropped. The case involved cost overruns at the Sandals Whitehouse Hotel. The hotel’s sale has drawn considerable attention because the contractor general stated some concerns about the process of divestment.
BOB MARLEY TO BE HONORED BY USAIN BOLT—02/03/11
Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s three-time Olympic champion, will honor the island’s legendary music star Bob Marley at London’s Summer Olympic Games in 2012. Bolt and Jamaica’s track team will wear uniforms designed by Cedella Marley, Bob Marley’s daughter and a well-known fashion designer. Marley, who has partnered with Puma, will make a special uniform for Bolt so he will stand out from the rest of the team.
REWARD OFFERED FOR ‘SATAN,’ TO OTHERS—02/04/11
Police in Jamaica are offering a reward of $250,000 each for any information that leads to the arrest of three alleged Klansman gang members. The members of the Spanish Town gang sought by police are Mevardo Hodges (Dee Jay), Rowell (Jay Jay) Jennings, and Almal “Satan” Roman. The men are considered to be armed and dangerous. They are likely to be found in or near Hopeful Village, Lakes pen, March Pen Road, Dela Vega City, and Quarry Hill in Spanish Town, St. Catherine.
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JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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JAMAICAN-BORN PASTOR FACES RAPE CHARGES IN NEW YORK—01/31/11
Michael Clare, a Jamaican-born pastor, has been indicted by Bronx police in New York for the alleged rape of a teenage girl who is a member of his congregation. Clare, 38, is married and the head of the Harvest Worship Center. He allegedly raped the teenager since she was 12. She is now 15 years of age. Police were made aware of the circumstances of the case when the girl confirmed to her parents and police officers that Clare had sexually assaulted her for years.
BUJU MOTION DISMISSED BY JUDGE—02/02/11
James Moody, a United States District Judge, has dismissed a motion made by the attorneys for Buju Banton, Jamaican music hall star, just days before his retrial on gun and drug charges. The motion attempted to convince the court to toss out some of the charges he faced before retrial. Now Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, must answer to five charges instead of the two brought in his first trial.
TORONTO GALA HOSTED BY UWI—02/03/11
The University of the West Indies (UWI) is acting as the host for the Second Annual Benefit Gala in Toronto, Canada, which will honor Jamaicans Donovan Bailey, Michael Lee-Chin and others who have contributed significantly to UWI and to communities in Canada and the Caribbean. The benefit’s goal is to support students, honor good works performed within the community, and inspire others to value the relationship between Canada and the Caribbean region.
BRITISH POLICE LOOK FOR JAMAICAN MAN WHO IS SPREADING HIV—02/04/11
Police in the United Kingdom are looking for a Jamaican male who may have infected his former lover with HIV on purpose.HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Police reportedly are looking for Jermaine Scott, 27, due to claims by his ex-girlfriend that he intentionally gave her the virus. Scott, who has lived in the UK for the past decade, has been the subject of a police search since mid-January 2011.
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CARIBBEAN NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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DIRECT FLIGHTS NOW AVAILABLE FROM GEORGETOWN, NEW YORK—01/29/11
FIRE AT ARMS DEPOT IN VENEZUELA CAUSES EXPLOSIONS—01/30/11
WICB TAKES ACTION TO STRENGTHEN CLUB CRICKET—01/31/11
CONFERENCE ADDRESSES GROWTH, REGIONAL POLICIES—02/01/11
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT SEEN IN STUDY OF ISLAND—02/02/11
VENEZUELA SEES INCREASE IN CHOLERA CASES—02/03/11
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BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES EXIST IN HAITI—01/29/11
P.J. Patterson, Jamaica’s former Prime Minister, is encouraging the business community of the Caribbean to participate in the reconstruction of Haiti. Patterson believes that Haiti could be key in regional renewal. The amount of money pledged to Haiti’s reconstruction could be a “game changer” for the Caribbean, since it is likely to attract the interest of international investors. Haiti will need to rebuild roads, hospitals, hotels, and schools. If Caribbean countries do not take advantage of these opportunities, other nations will.
UWI, JBDC PARTNER TO OPEN BUSINESS CENTER—01/30/11
The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JDBC) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) have joined forces to establish a business center on the Mona campus. The center is designed to help individuals develop successful businesses. It will offer business advice, market research, export information, business plan assessment, and facilitate education about starting a business, business management, and product development.
MOCHO ENTERS GREENHOUSE FARMING INITIATIVE—01/31/11
If Enos Anderson succeeds, Mocho will devote itself to greenhouse farming by the middle of 2011. Anderson, the president of the Mocho Greenhouse Management Committee, wants to improve the reputation of Mocho. The greenhouse initiative will create sustainable employment for the area and improve its economic condition and schools. It will also provide an alternative to jobs in the bauxite industry and reduce the population’s dependence on Jamalco.
PENALTY FOR MINIMUM WAGE BREACH TO INCREASE—02/01/11
Companies that refuse to pay their workers the lowest wage named under the National Minimum Wage Act will be assessed a fine of $1 million. The law was amended by Jamaica’s Senate to increase the fine from $1,000. It would also impose a one-year prison sentence on employers who do not follow the law. Both a fine and prison could be imposed. The National Minimum Wage will rise from $4,070 per 40-hour week to $4,500 per 40-hour week as of February 28, 2011.
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY
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ANDROID TABLET TAKES SHARE FROM IPAD—01/31/11
While the iPad tablet from Apple remains the top product in the tablet space, its hold on the market is beginning to deteriorate. The iPad had 75.3 percent of global market share, while Android-based devices had a 21.6 percent share in the fourth quarter of 2010, according to Strategy Analytics. However, in the third quarter, Apple had 95.5 percent of the market, while Android had only 2.3 percent.
GOOGLE LAUNCHES NEW ART PROJECT—02/01/11
Google has provided a new tool. Art Project allows users to virtually explore 17 of the best-known museums in the world. It uses the technology of StreetView to permit walk-throughs in museum hallways to see different works of art. Users may select a specific piece of art and find on-screen information that provides background information. There are currently some 1,000 images included.
EBAY MOVING BEYOND AUCTIONS—02/02/11
EBay continues to move into markets that go beyond its original auction-house capabilities. The firm is working to create targeted apps designed to attract new users to eBay’s environment. These include an app for the iPhone that provides a subset of eBay called eBay Fashion. According to Ryan Metcher, director of mobile products at eBay, the firm plans to extend its markets and obtain new users. Currently, 60 percent of mobile purchases on eBay are auctions, compared with 40 percent at the main site.
WIRELESS SUBSCRIBERS IN U.S. PAY TOO MUCH FOR SERVICE—02/03/11
According to research from BillShrink, the average subscriber to a wireless service in the United States overpays on their cell phone bill by $336 per year. BillShrink is a search engine that lets individuals find the best service plans to meet their requirements. Some 80 percent of wireless subscribers in the U.S. miscalculate the amount of voice minutes, text messages, and megabytes of data they really need. Therefore, they buy wireless plans they do not need and pay more than they have to. As a result, the wireless industry is getting $79 million for services that their subscribers do not need.
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CARIBBEAN TECHNOLOGY NEWS SUMMARY provided by Caribbeantopnews.com
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VERISHIELD TOTAL PROTECT USED IN DOMINCAN REPUBLIC—01/31/11
LG TO PROVIDE MOBILE PAYMENT CAPABILITY IN EUROPE—02/02/11
HOTMAIL CREATES DISPOSABLE EMAIL ACCOUNTS—02/03/11
SPACE DEBRIS CAN CAUSE DROPPED CALLS—02/04/11
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SPORTS
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DIAMOND LEAGUE TO BE OPENED BY BOLT WITH 100 METERS—01/29/11
Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s triple Olympic champion, will open his campaign at the Diamond League in Rome with the 100 meters in May 2011. Bolt holds the world’s record in the 100 and 200 meters. This will be Bolt’s first appearance in Rome and he says he is looking forward to racing for the Roman crowds.
LAMBERT STILL CAPTAIN OF JAMAICA’S TEAM—01/30/11
Tamar Lambert remains the captain of Jamaica’s team, announced the Jamaica Cricket Association. He will be captain during the four-day regional tournament in 2011. The remainder of the team will be announced soon. In the last season, Jamaica took its third consecutive title under the captaincy of Lambert.
JAMAICAN NEWCOMERS TO FACE GUYANA—02/02/11
Three new members of Jamaica’s 13-player tame will face Guyana during the opening game of the Regional First Class Championship. The three are Simon Jackson, Chadwick Walton, and Sheldon Cotterell. These three were chosen over more experienced players. According to Captain Tamar Lambert, the selections make for a “fairly balanced team.”
JAMAICA LOOKING FOR SPONSORS FOR PROFESSIONAL SURF CONTEST—02/03/11
The Jamaica Surfing Association’s National Governing Body is partnering with the Jamnesia Surf Club to look for sponsors for the first professional surf contest in Jamaica. The contest will highlight the top surfers in Jamaica in multiple events. The series will take place at the island’s prime surfing locations. The top six Jamaican surfers chosen for the series are Icah Wilmot, Inilek Wilmot, Ackearn Phillips, Shane Simmonds, Luke Williams, and Jason Pusey.
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DEVOTIONAL
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He Leadeth Me
Decisions, decisions, decisions. It seems everywhere we turn they are waiting to be made and even after making them, we are often times undecided about those decisions we made. Life would be wonderful if we had a sure-fire way of knowing how to make the right ones. However, we try to do the best we can with the information we have, using our God given wisdom to assess situations and trust the Lord that everything will turn out the way they should.
Sheep do not have that ability. Not being the smartest of animals, they also have no sense of direction. Charles Allen writes, “The sheep has very poor eyes. It cannot see 10 or 15 yards ahead. Palestinian fields were covered with narrow paths over which the shepherds led their sheep to pasture. Some of these paths led to a precipice over which the simple sheep might fall to its death. Other paths lead up a blind alley. But some paths lead to green pastures and still waters. The sheep followed the shepherd, knowing they were walking in the right path.” What does that have to do with us? I am glad you asked.
When we come to the LORD we become His sheep and He, our Shepherd. In a sense we take on the characteristic of the sheep. Trying to navigate the Christian walk is filled with various challenges and dangers. There are all kinds of paths that seem to be the right ones yet we are reminded that “there is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Proverbs 14:12, NLT). The decisions we make along these paths are life and death decisions spiritually, and to use our secular abilities to live the Christian life is like trying to walk blindfolded across a busy roadway. We need the guidance of the Shepherd if we are to make it home safely.
Because of his experience as a shepherd boy, the Psalmist David was fully aware of the sheep’s vulnerabilities. Putting himself in its place, he was acutely aware of his reliance on the LORD, His Shepherd to lead [guide, direct] him and so it was with confidence in God’s ability that he says, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3b, KJV). Notice the words “He leadeth” because it affirms who is in charge; the sheep doesn’t attempt to go ahead of the Shepherd. Also, to be righteous is to be in right standing with God. Not only will He lead us, being the one in charge, but He will do so in and along the pathways that are pleasing to Him.
So as we acknowledge our reliance upon Him to make it through this world successfully, despite the odds, let us remember the words of Solomon, “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, The Amplified). He knows the way; our job is to follow Him.
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CREDITS/SOURCES
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The weekly news is compilation of new articles from top Caribbean and Jamaican news sources.
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